Dick Hess: Going Out on Top

By Phyl Newbeck

There is bad news on Shelburne Road. After almost five years as one of the Champlain Valley’s best loved burger joints, Archie’s will be closing its doors later this summer. Owner Dick Hess of Charlotte has health issues which are forcing him to sell the establishment, but he doesn’t want you to feel sorry for him. He is happy to have had the opportunity to make a living doing what he loves.

Hess has spent almost five decades in the food business, starting as a bellhop at Mt. Snow in 1973 before becoming a bartender. When he was asked to move to the kitchen, some thought it was a step backwards, but Hess was happy about the change. “Working all day long to put a plate in front of someone and have them say it’s the best meal they ever had is the best feeling,” he said.

When Hess moved into the building on Shelburne Road in 2010 it was a small store with a pizza and deli attached. Having lived eight years in Shelburne and twelve in Charlotte, he knew there was no local burger place, so he opened one. Archie’s serves LaPlatte beef and Misty Knoll turkey in their burgers, as well as some vegetarian fare, salads, pulled pork, chicken dishes, soft-serve ice cream and milkshakes. The restaurant is named after Hess’s father. “I don’t think anyone uses that name anymore,” he said. “It’s something that people remember.”

Hess’s father is not the only relative represented at the restaurant. Prominent on the walls are Norman Rockwell prints which feature Hess’s uncle and grandparents as models. Photos of those models next to the prints demonstrate how well Rockwell captured their likenesses. There is more modern décor as well. Hess has multiple photos of sports teams from the area, including teams for which two of his daughters played at CVU.

Hess refers to himself as a cook, not a chef, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t tinker with the menu and add new specialties. These days, an added attraction to the restaurant is the opportunity to choose a variety of toppings including a ranch topping with avocados and bacon, a mac and cheese offering with Gouda, caramelized onions and maple syrup, and another made from artichokes.

Hess has thoroughly enjoyed his time at Archie’s. When he started the business he worked seven days a week and that effort paid off with satisfied customers. “I’ve never tried so hard to make something work,” he said. Negotiations for the sale are on-going and Hess plans to make an announcement as soon as he can so patrons can cash in their gift cards. “It’s rough,” he said, of the impending sale. “I really love my customers and staff and the people I deal with.” Hess will continue to live in Charlotte, a town that reminds him of his native Arlington, and hopes he can continue to be an active contributor to the community.

Hess stressed that he is not selling because of any financial difficulties at the restaurant. Due to his health issues, he can no longer take as active a role as he would like and he doesn’t want to be a manager who just sits in a booth and watches others work. “I’ve wanted to own my own restaurant since I was 17,” said Hess. “That’s what I’ve done and it’s gratifying that I’m going out on top.”